Air compressor having a smooth and stable structure

ABSTRACT

An air compressor includes a bearing engaged in a base, a weight having a pivot axle rotatably and stably secured to the casing with the bearing and having a shaft offset or eccentric relative to the pivot axle. A cylinder includes a piston rod rotatably coupling to the shaft of the weight. A gear is engaged on the weight and rotated in concert with the weight relative to the base about the pivot axle. A motor is secured to the base and has a pinion engaged with the gear for rotating the weight and for moving the piston rod relative to the cylinder in a reciprocating action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an air compressor, and more particularly to an air compressor having a smooth and stable structure.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The applicant has developed various kinds of typical air compressors. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,758 to Chou discloses one of the typical air compressors. FIG. 3 illustrates a similar exploded view of the typical air compressor which comprise an L-shaped base 6 including a hub 60 provided therein for receiving a gasket 63 therein. The gasket 63 includes a bore 630 formed therein. A weight 62 includes an axle 621 rotatably engaged in the bore 630 of the gasket 63 and secured to the gasket 63 with a clamping ring 64, and includes a gear 622 provided thereon, and includes an eccentric shaft 623 extended therefrom and eccentric or offset from the axle 621. A cylinder 66 includes a barrel 661 provided on one end of the piston rod 622 for rotatably receiving and coupling to the shaft 623 of the weight 62. A pipe 65 may be coupled to the cylinder 66 for receiving the pressurized air generated by the cylinder 66. A motor 61 is secured to the base 6 and includes a pinion 610 secured to the spindle 611 thereof and engaged with the gear 622 for rotating the weight 62, and thus for moving the piston rod 662 relative to the cylinder 66 in a reciprocating action. The shaft 623 may apply a great force against the piston rod 662 which will also apply a great reaction force against the shaft 623 such that the weight 62 may be forced to be tilted relative to the axle 621 thereof, and such that the gasket 63 may be easily damaged or worn out by the axle 631.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,112 to Chou discloses another typical air compressor. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates a similar exploded view and a similar cross sectional view of the typical air compressor respectively which comprise a base 7 including a hub 70 provided therein for receiving a gasket 75 therein. The gasket 75 includes a bore 750 formed therein. A gear 77 includes a bore 772 formed therein for rotatably receiving or engaging on the gasket 75 and includes one or more projections or a peripheral casing 771 extended therefrom. A weight 76 includes an axle 762 rotatably engaged in the bore 750 of the gasket 75 and secured to the gasket 75 with a clamping ring 78 which is engaged on the annular groove 763 of the axle 762. The weight 76 includes an eccentric shaft 761 extended therefrom and eccentric or offset from the axle 762. A cylinder 71 includes an orifice 712 formed in one end of a piston rod 711 for rotatably receiving and coupling to the shaft 761 of the weight 76. A pipe 65 and a coupler or a nozzle 730 may be coupled to the cylinder 71 for receiving the pressurized air generated by the cylinder 71. A gage 72 may be coupled to the cylinder 71 for detecting the pressure of the pressurized air in the cylinder 71. A motor 74 is secured to the base 7 and includes a pinion 741 secured to the spindle thereof and engaged with the gear 77 for rotating the weight 76, and thus for moving the piston rod 711 relative to the cylinder 71 in a reciprocating action. The shaft 761 may also apply a great force against the piston rod 711 which will also apply a great reaction force against the shaft 761 such that the weight 76 may be forced to be tilted relative to the axle 762 thereof, and such that the gasket 75 may be easily damaged or worn out by the axle 762.

[0006] The typical air compressors disclose the axle of the weight rotatably secured to the base with the gaskets which may be easily worn out and damaged after use.

[0007] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional air compressors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air compressor including a smooth and stable structure for allowing the working life of the air compressor to be suitably increased.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an air compressor comprising a base including an aperture formed therein, a bearing engaged in the aperture of the base, a weight including a pivot axle extended outward therefrom and engaged in the bearing and thus rotatably secured to the casing with the bearing, the weight including a shaft extended therefrom and eccentric relative to the pivot axle, a cylinder including a piston rod rotatably coupling to the shaft of the weight, a gear engaged on the weight and rotated in concert with the weight relative to the base about the pivot axle of the weight, and a motor secured to the base and having a pinion provided thereon and engaged with the gear for rotating the gear and the weight and for moving the piston rod relative to the cylinder in a reciprocating action. The pivot axle of the weight may be stably and smoothly secured and retained in the aperture of the base and may thus be prevented from being worn out or damaged after use.

[0010] The base includes a peripheral flange extended radially inward of the aperture of the base for forming an orifice in the base and for receiving the axle of the weight.

[0011] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an air compressor in accordance with the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of the air compressor;

[0014]FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating another embodiment of the air compressor;

[0015]FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the other embodiment of the air compressor; and

[0016]FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the air compressor as shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an air compressor in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 1 including an opening 18 formed therein for receiving a pinion 51 of a motor 5 which is secured to the base 1 by such as the fasteners 743. The base 1 includes an aperture 11 formed therein and includes a peripheral flange 13 extended radially inward of the aperture 11 thereof, and thus includes an orifice 131 formed in the peripheral flange 13. A bearing 12 is engaged in the aperture 11 of the base 1 and engaged with the peripheral flange 13 such that the bearing 12 may be solidly and stably received and secured in the aperture 11 of the base 1. The base 1 includes a pair of sleeves 10 provided on top thereof.

[0018] A weight 15 includes a pivot axle 152 extended outward therefrom and engaged through the orifice 131 of the base 1 and engaged with the bearing 12 and thus rotatably secured to the base 1 with the bearing 12. A fastener 16 may be threaded to the screw hole 153 of the axle 152 for solidly and stably securing the axle 152 to the base 1. A gear 14 includes a hole 140 formed therein for rotatably receiving the pivot axle 152 and for rotatably securing to the base 1 at the pivot axle 152, and includes one or more ears or includes a peripheral casing 141 extended therefrom for engaging with the weight 15 and for rotating the weight 15 such that the weight 15 and the gear 14 rotate in concert with each other. The gear 14 is engaged with the pinion 51 of the motor 5 and thus may be rotated or driven by the motor 5.

[0019] The weight 15 includes an eccentric shaft 151 extended therefrom and eccentric or offset from the axle 152 of the weight 15. A cylinder 2 may be secured to the sleeves 10 of the base 1 with fasteners 17, for example, and includes an orifice 210 formed in one end of a piston rod 21 for rotatably receiving and coupling to the shaft 151 of the weight 15. A pipe 4 and a coupler or a nozzle 41 may be coupled to the cylinder 2 for receiving the pressurized air generated by the cylinder 2. A gage 3 may be coupled to the cylinder 2 for detecting the pressure of the pressurized air in the cylinder 2. The pinion 51 of the motor 5 is engaged with the gear 14 such that the motor 5 may rotate and drive the weight 15, and thus may move the piston rod 21 relative to the cylinder 2 in a reciprocating action.

[0020] In operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the axle 152 of the weight 15 may be stably and smoothly secured to the base with the bearing 12 which is stably received and engaged in the aperture 11 of the base 1, such that the air compressor includes a greatly smooth and stable configuration that may prevent the axle 152 of the weight 15 from being damaged and that may thus suitably increase the working life of the air compressor.

[0021] Accordingly, the air compressor in accordance with the present invention includes a smooth and stable structure for allowing the working life of the air compressor to be suitably increased.

[0022] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. An air compressor comprising: a) a base including an aperture formed therein, b) a bearing engaged in said aperture of said base, c) a weight including a pivot axle extended outward therefrom and engaged in said bearing and thus rotatably secured to said casing with said bearing, said weight including a shaft extended therefrom and eccentric relative to said pivot axle, d) a cylinder including a piston rod rotatably coupling to said shaft of said weight, e) a gear engaged on said weight and rotated in concert with said weight relative to said base about said pivot axle of said weight, and f) a motor secured to said base and having a pinion provided thereon and engaged with said gear for rotating said gear and said weight and for moving said piston rod relative to said cylinder in a reciprocating action.
 2. The air compressor according to claim 1, wherein said base includes a peripheral flange extended radially inward of said aperture of said base for forming an orifice in said base and for receiving said axle of said weight. 